Deploying Cyberinfrastructure for the Sciences at Liberal Arts Institutions

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Deploying Cyberinfrastructure for the Sciences at
Liberal Arts Institutions
Francis W. Starr Physics Department Scientific
Computing Informatics Center (SCIC) NERCOMP
Cyberinfrastructure and The Liberal Arts
Institutions and the Future of Discipline-Based
Research Amherst, MA March 4, 2008
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What is different about the Sciences?

• Heavy reliance on technology
• Science research cannot exist today without
  computers
• Technology itself is a research topic
• Need to better connect technology with curriculum
• Many geeks
• Early adopters ready to serve as guinea pigs
• Always looking for new technologies
• Can rush in too quickly!
• Availability of external funding support
• Eases the possibility to explore new ideas
• Targeted educational opportunities

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Evolution of Hardware Infrastructure
Centrally Managed Mainframes
Centrally Managed Large Clusters
Desktop PCs
Beowulf Clusters
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WESLEYAN The Beowulf Phase

• Cluster of off-the-shelf PCs
• Cost efficient 500-2500 per computer
• More accessible CPU-time per user than at a
  national supercomputer center
• Clustering Software
• Resources shared transparently
• Ease of use for students
• Six separate clusters across campus

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WESLEYAN New Central Facility

• Why a central facility?
• Systems management Time for research and
  teaching
• Eliminate wasted cycles on separate facilities
• Mitigate obsolescence
• Solve space problems
• Recruit new faculty
• Lower the barrier for new users
• Encourage collaboration
• Educate students on most advanced hardware
• New Facility
• Open to ALL Wesleyan Community
• 288 Computing Cores
• 30 TB of disk storage (about 7.5 million songs)
• Housed and maintained by University ITS

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Cyberinfrastructure Its more than a cluster!

• Other Shared Resources
• Data visualization
• Informatics databases
• Software
• Delivering technology to users
• Networking
• In-class technologies
• Local Software

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Cyberinfrastructure Its more than Hardware!

• Dealing with New Technology
• How do you identify useful new technologies?
• Educating faculty on availability and use
• Not everyone is a geek reaching technophobes
• Education Research Challenges
• In a packed curriculum, where can technology be
  added?
• Digital natives versus Digital immigrants
• Will new technology be time saving or consuming?
• Cyberinfrastructure Needs People!

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WESLEYAN Scientific Computing Informatics
Center

• Center Focus
• Support educational initiatives utilizing
  computational resources (hardware and software)
• Facilitate use of high-performance computing
  facility by all Wesleyan faculty and students
• Complements Social Sciences Quantitative Analysis
  Center
• Example Activities
• Tutorial Programs
• Student Internships/Apprenticeships
• One-on-one problem solving
• Computational/Informatic Seminars
• Outreach to other institutions
• Currently searching for Center Director

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Special concerns for Liberal Arts Institutions

• Emphasis on educational outreach
• Making technology student friendly
• Finding curriculum space
• Size Matters
• Large facilities difficult to acquire/maintain
• Critical mass of technologically savvy faculty
• Cross-Institutional collaborations
• Shared facilities on a human scale
• Cross pollinate technical activity
• Shared classes via network linkup

Wesleyan, CT
Wesleyan, OH
Wesleyan, NB